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Wallabies admit it is the AllBlacks and then the rest

James Mortimer 26 Aug 2012 Getty Images

Before The Investec Rugby Championship kicked off, the Wallabies set themselves the lofty goals of not only winning the Bledisloe Cup for the first time in a decade, but of supplanting the All Blacks as the world’s number one team.

The famous Cup, now with the All Blacks since 2003, the second longest reign in the rivalries history, is gone for another year for the Wallabies.

Post-match after being beaten 22-0, and blanked for the first time in 40 years against any opposition (and 50 years against the All Blacks), the Wallabies preferred to sing the praises of their opposition, rather than focus on themselves.

Today it was much of the same, with the Wallabies now admitting that their goal is to hold onto the second spot in the global rankings, which they will lose to the Springboks if the tourists win in Perth in a fortnight.

Liam Gill, who made his test debut in the second half, said that Australia wanted to ensure at least they were number two in the game.

"They've proven they are the number one team,” he said.

“Now we've got to hold our spot as I guess the number two team.”

Hooker Stephen Moore said that there was no question as to who the current kings of the rugby world were.

“(The All Blacks) are without doubt the number one side in the world,” he said.

“There's quite a way there to us in second place and the challenge for us now is to try and maintain that spot in the next period of time against the Boks and Argentina.”

Coach Robbie Deans felt that this year would end like 2011, with the All Blacks confirming their place at the top.

“They'll experience some adversity along the way,” he said.

“But I'd be very surprised if they didn't finish top of the heap again at the end of this year."